Top Ten Tuesday: (Five) Books That Mean Something to Me

Created by and with thanks to That Artsy Reader! This week’s post is a freebie, so I decided to put a spin on an old TTT: books that are linked to specific moments in your life. I’ve been doing a lot of reminiscing lately, as I turn thirty ( 😱 ) this week–in fact, I have a trilogy of Fangirl Friday posts, beginning this Friday, on books that have influenced the reader/writer/thirty-year-old I’m about to become. So this TTT is a preview!

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1. The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton’s are the earliest books I remember reading–The Naughtiest Girl in the School, Amelia Jane, Mr Meddle and Mr Twiddle, I couldn’t get enough! The Faraway Tree still lives rent free in my mind as an adult–what I wouldn’t give for a Land of Free Houses, or Cosy Naps, or Meals I Don’t Have to Cook Myself… 😅

2. Matilda by Roald Dahl
I know so many of us did, but I really found a kindred spirit in Matilda. I was blessed not to have a family like hers, but the way she felt about reading and learning was so familiar to me (still is). Fun fact: this copy was a gift from my mom when I graduated First Class with Honours from my Creative Writing degree. All of the tears!

3. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
I know this one is a popular one, too, but I still love, breathe, and think in this series over twenty years after first falling in love with it.

4. The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
Not only is Mia one of my favourite characters ever, but these books still inspire me to pick up a pen/sit at a laptop and write, all these years later. If I can someday write something with this much heart–that sits in someone’s heart the way Mia’s story sits in mine–that will be everything.

5. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
I first read City of Bones over a decade ago, and I still vividly remember even where I was sitting as I tore through the first three books in the series. They’re also the backbone of a dear friendship of mine, and one of the only series I’ve convinced my partner to read–they’re a constant reminder of what a joy it is to share bookish love!

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What books tickle your nostalgia bone?